A Very Merry Christmas Indeed
by Grrlnorth
Summary: Jasper and Bella make the most of a Christmas at the Cullens'. AH


**"Home for the Holidays" One shot contest**

**Title: A Very Merry Christmas Indeed**

**Author(s): Girlnorth**

**Rating: M**

**Pairing: Jasper/Bella**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but wish Jasper was mine.**

I zipped up my suitcase and took one last look around my room, making sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Alice walked in, handing me the hairdryer I'd left in the bathroom.

"Oh Bella," she said woefully, eyeing my suitcase, "tell me that's not all you're bringing."

"What?" I asked, mentally cataloguing the contents of my suitcase: a few pairs of jeans, t-shirts, a couple of sweaters, one skirt, two dressy blouses, one nice pair of pants, a pair of ballet flats, pj's, socks and underwear. My toiletries – along with Christmas gifts – were in a tote bag next to the suitcase.

"Bella," Alice sighed, "what am I going to do with you?"

I met Alice Cullen on my first day at Dartmouth. Before I even had a thing unpacked, she had burst through the door to the bathroom that connected our two dorm rooms, talking a mile a minute, telling me what good friends we'd be and how much fun we'd have together, and exiting just as quickly without even telling me her name. She was right, of course, we soon became inseparable, and that hadn't changed in the three years since. Not that we had a lot in common, in fact we were opposites. Alice was outgoing, I was shy. I was clumsy, and she was as graceful as a ballet dancer. She was into fashion and parties, and I'd rather hang out in my sweats at home and read. But it worked, somehow. We brought out the best in each other. She made sure I didn't live like a hermit, and I made sure she actually studied.

I followed her out of my bedroom.

"Now this," Alice said, sweeping her arm towards the mountain of luggage cluttering the living room of our apartment, "is what I'm bringing."

"Well Bella is a little more practical than you," said Edward Masen, Alice's boyfriend. He was trying to pick up all her luggage at once, which was futile. "You've packed enough for a year."

"It's Christmas, Edward. I had to pack for all different occasions: hanging around home, casual parties, formal parties, clubbing..."

"Maybe I should go home after all," I mumbled.

"I heard that," Alice chided.

I was actually really looking forward to it. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen – or Carlisle and Esme, as they insisted I call them – had invited me to join their family for Christmas. I wasn't sure at first. It felt weird not going home to Washington to see my dad, but he was okay with it. He and his wife Sue were spending their first Christmas together as a married couple, so I thought it might actually be kind of nice for them to be on their own.

Somehow we managed to squeeze all Alice's, Edward's, and my luggage into Edwards Volvo, and we were on the road. The drive to Boston passed quickly as we talked and laughed, happy to leave the stress of academia behind us for a few weeks.

"I wonder if Em and Rose have left yet," Alice said as they passed through Manchester. Emmett was Alice's older brother, and Rosalie Hale was his fiancée. They lived in Manchester, where Emmett co-owned a software company with his best friend and business partner, Jasper Whitlock.

My stomach did a little flip at the thought of Jasper. I had to admit that I had a bit of a thing for him. He was absolutely gorgeous, to start with, but it was more than that. There was just something about him. He had... charisma. He didn't say much, being more the strong, silent type, but when he did talk, people listened. I knew he would never be interested in me, of course. I was plain ol' Bella Swan – a surname more befitting my graceful best friend.

Alice's family home was a gorgeous and historic five-story brick row house in Beacon Hill. Charlie, my dad, would hate this neighborhood with the houses all tightly nestled together, but I loved it, and I was excited to be spending Christmas there.

"Holler if you need me," Edward said to Alice as he kissed her goodbye, after having brought all her luggage inside for her. It was an old joke between the two of them, but not far from the truth. They had been childhood sweethearts, and Edward was literally the boy next door. They dated all through high school, and no one was surprised when they decided to attend the same college.

"Dinner tonight," Alice reminded him. He acknowledged her with a wave as he walked out the door.

"Anyone home?" Alice barely got the question out before Emmett burst around the corner and swept her up in a hug. Emmett was her big brother in every sense of the word, so Alice was lost in his embrace.

"Put me down, you big lug!"

"And Ba Baby Bell," Emmett said, dropping Alice and picking me up. He kind of adopted me as his little sister too.

Alice was hugging Rose, and then I took my turn.

"Well hi Jazz," Alice said, "I didn't know you were coming!"

I must have jerked my head up pretty quickly, because Rose chuckled quietly as she let me go, and gave me a look telling me she knew exactly how I felt about her fiancé's best friend.

"It was a last minute decision," Jasper explained as he hugged Alice.

My body tingled in anticipation as he made his way over to me.

"Hi Bella," he said as he put his arms around me, and I'm sure I turned three shades of red as I returned his greeting.

"Are Mom and Dad home?" Alice asked Emmett as we all went into the living room, our luggage left in the foyer for the time being.

"No, they went out for awhile, doing some last minute Christmas shopping," Emmett said, sitting down on a sofa and pulling his little sister onto his lap. Alice giggled as she tumbled onto him. Rosalie smiled and shook her head as she sat down next to them.

I sat next to Jasper on a loveseat and tried to calm myself. I looked around the room, which was beautifully decorated for the holidays. A huge spruce tree was decorated in gold and red with a regal angel on top, and a massive amount of presents beneath. There were pine boughs upon the mantle of the fireplace, tied with gold and red ribbons, and candles sat on every surface available. I felt like we were inside a photo from a magazine, or a Christmas card. Esme had a wonderful sense of style and a passion for decorating and design.

As we all sat and chatted, I kept sneaking sideways peeks at Jasper. His hair was a bit longer than it was the last time I saw him, the soft curls long enough for him to sweep behind his ear, which he did from time to time. He was even quieter than normal, and I wondered if there was something bothering him.

"Were you planning to go home to Texas for Christmas, Jasper?" I asked quietly as Emmett and Alice boisterously argued over something that happened ten years ago.

"I was, but..." he said, shaking his head. "Things changed. I..." Whatever he was going to say next was lost as the room suddenly became quiet.

"Rosalie," Alice said, while looking slyly at me. Oh oh. "You should see the pitiful selection of clothes Bella brought. They won't do at all for tonight."

"What do you have in mind, Alice?" Rosalie asked with a grin. I didn't like the way this was going.

"I was thinking shopping may be in order," Alice said, hopping up from her perch on Emmett's lap and pulling me to my feet.

"I guess I have no choice in the matter," I mumbled. Jasper grinned, showing dimples that would make any girl weak in the knees.

***

Alice pulled a little black dress out of a shopping bag and handed it to me.

"Alice, you didn't!" I said. It was the very same dress she had me try on earlier while we were out shopping, under the guise that I needed something for New Year's Eve. I told her I'd think about it.

"I did, and it's not for New Year's – we have plenty of time for that – it's for tonight. We are going out, and you have to look hot, hot, hot for Mr. Jasper Whitlock."

"I... Alice, I..." I stuttered. Of course she knew how I felt about Jasper, but it really embarrassed me when she said it out loud.

I knew there was no point in arguing with Alice over the dress, so I thanked her and slipped it on. It really was a gorgeous dress. It was strapless and form-fitting at the top, but the bottom fell in a soft flounce to mid-thigh.

I refused Rosalie's offer to do my hair, preferring to slip in a thin hair band and let the rest fall naturally, but I did allow Alice to do my make-up for me. I was happy that Alice hadn't purchased shoes for me, and my red ballet flats looked great with the dress. At one time Alice would have insisted on heels, but after I broke my ankle in sophomore year while wearing a pair she chose, she knew better. A kitten heel is about as high as I go now.

The guys were waiting for us downstairs, and as I walked down the stairs, Emmett started making cat calls. After looking Rose over top to bottom, he turned to me.

"Damn Bells, you clean up good! I had no idea you looked like that under your jeans and t-shirts!"

I blushed and thanked him. Edward complimented me too, after he kissed Alice and whispered something in her ear, making her giggle. Only Jasper remained quiet, and I tried not to let it bother me. As everyone got their coats and headed out to the cabs we had called, I felt someone grab my hand and pull me back.

"You really do look beautiful tonight, Bella," Jasper said in a low voice, his lips beside my ear, "but I also think you look beautiful in jeans and a t-shirt." The tenor of his voice sent a tremor down my spine. He didn't let go of my hand as he led me through the front door, only letting go when we got into separate cabs. Alice raised her eyebrows as I got into the back seat beside her and Edward, but she didn't say anything. I was shocked. I never thought he really even noticed me, and I certainly never had an inkling that he found me attractive. This time seemed different, for some reason, and I didn't know why.

The club was packed when we got there, but however much money Emmett slipped the manager got us a table in the VIP section. We girls went down to dance, the guys promising to follow after they'd had a drink or two. When they did come down, we all danced as a group, but as the soft melody of "Never Say Never" by The Fray drifted through the sound system, Edward pulled Alice into his arms, and Rose threw her arms around Emmett's broad shoulders.

"May I?" Jasper asked, holding out his hand. I took it, smiling shyly. He brought my arms up around his neck and grasped my waist, pulling me tight to his chest. My whole body tingled as I melted into his arms. I felt his fingers moving lightly at the small of my back, but when they moved to my upper back and brushed against my bare skin, I got goose bumps. His actions emboldened me to run my fingers through the hair at the base of his neck, tangling in his thick curls.

The tension between us was palpable, an electric current running through my body and settling between my legs. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips ghost up my neck and close over my earlobe. As his tongue swept along the outside of my ear, I couldn't help but moan. The song ended, but neither of us pulled away from the other. We looked into each others' eyes, and if he saw in mine what I saw in his, we needed to get out of there.

"Emmett," he said, looking behind me. He held my hand as he leant in to talk to Emmett, and I looked up to where Alice was standing on the stairs. She had a huge smile on her face and gave me a thumbs up.

"Let's get out of here, sugar," Jasper said when he finished talking to Emmett. His use of the southern endearment brought the Texas twang out in his speech, and I loved it. He'd spent enough time out of Texas that his accent wasn't always apparent, but when it was there it did naughty things to my body.

I followed him out of the club and into a cab, not having a clue where we were going. I didn't think we'd go back to the Cullens' where Carlisle and Esme were having friends over. Jasper gave the cab driver directions, and turned to look at me.

"Bella," he said, leaning in to me, "so beautiful." His lips returned to my neck, and he kissed his way up to my jaw. I wanted to taste his lips, so I took initiative and pulled his mouth to mine. Heaven. As his tongue sought entrance and touched mine, I was in Heaven.

The cab stopped in front of The Copley Plaza. Under normal circumstances, I might have been intimidated by my opulent surroundings, but I only had eyes for Jasper. When Jasper had checked us in and we were in the elevator on our way up to our room, I started to get a little nervous. I wasn't a virgin, but this was Jasper, and I'd wanted him for as long as I'd known him.

"Don't be nervous, sweetheart," he whispered to me, "we don't have to do anything you don't want to do. We could just go up there and talk if you want."

What was he crazy? I pulled him to me and kissed him. When the elevator stopped on the fourth floor, Jasper led me to our room. When the door clicked closed behind us, he pushed me against the door and kissed me until I was breathless.

"Do you want this?" he asked, kissing my neck and running his hands down my sides.

"Yes," I breathed, and for good measure, I said it again.

"Good," he said, and he kissed me again. He pulled me away from the door and towards the bed, pulling the zipper down on the back of my dress. It fell to the floor, leaving me in nothing but my black bikini briefs and my red ballet flats. Jasper's hands went to my breasts, gently palming them and then circling my nipples with his thumbs. My head rolled back as I grabbed his waist for support. I decided he was wearing too many clothes, and began unbuttoning his shirt.

"There's something I have to tell you," he said as I worked the buttons, "I've got scars. A lot of them."

I opened his shirt and saw his chest covered with white scars, long healed.

"You're beautiful," I said, running my fingers over the raised lines. Jasper pulled me roughly to him and kissed me with desperation. He made quick work of his pants and socks, so that he was down to his boxer briefs, and we climbed on the bed together.

Jasper hovered over me as we kissed, and I ran one hand over his chest and shoulder, the other buried in his hair. I couldn't get enough of those curls. Jasper ran his hand down my side and over my hip, his thumb brushing my pelvic bone and making me thrust toward him. He smiled as his mouth left mine and journeyed to my breast. I buried my other hand in his hair, both hands holding his head in place as he swirled his tongue around my nipple. As he nudged his knee in between my legs, I wrapped my leg over his hip.

Jasper started kissing lower, his hands lowering my panties as he went. I was a little nervous – I had never really enjoyed it before when a guy went down on me. I always just felt so exposed. But when Jasper nestled between my legs and touched his tongue to my swollen nub, I stopped thinking. He licked slowly at first, teasing me by lightly caressing me with his tongue, and making me writhe on the bed. He looked up at me, his eyes dancing, before he stopped torturing me and started flicking my clit hard and fast. I moaned as I bucked my hips against his mouth. He slid his hands under me to cup my ass as he used his magic tongue on me. I was so far beyond inhibited as I began to rub my breasts. Jasper's eyes no longer danced as he looked up at me, they were dark with passion as he watched me touch myself. With a few more thrusts of his tongue, I felt my orgasm rising, and I crested with his name on my lips.

"You're beautiful when you come," Jasper said, moving up the bed to kiss me.

"Jasper," I said, "I want you inside me now."

He leaned over the side of the bed, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out a foil package.

"Oh thank God," I said, realizing that I hadn't even thought about a condom.

"Sometimes he thinks he's God, but you can thank Em," Jasper said with a smirk. "He slipped me a couple before we left the club." I blushed and he kissed me again.

"I love it when you blush," he said, which only caused me to blush further.

"Are you ready?" he asked when he had rolled the condom on. I nodded and he gently pushed into me. Some people say that size doesn't matter, but once you've been with a large man, you know that size matters. Jasper was a large man.

"You feel amazing," he said as he thrust into me. "God Bella, so good."

I moaned in response and wrapped my legs around him, pulling him in as far as I could. I slid my hands down to his ass, squeezing as he pumped into me.

"Bella," he growled, his pace increasing. He slipped a hand between us, his thumb circling my clit. My eyes rolled back as I felt another orgasm building up inside me. "Come for me, Bella."

And so I did. I came hard, my orgasm squeezing him tightly and making him come along with me. We lay there together, foreheads touching and breathing heavily, neither really wanting to move. When we did move, we lay side by side, arms and legs entwined.

"That was..." I said, struggling for words.

"Amazing," he finished. I nodded in agreement. It was amazing. I was amazed to be lying in bed with him, after crushing on him for three years.

We lay there for a long time, talking and caressing. Finally I asked him about his change of Christmas plans. He sighed and took my hand in his, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing my knuckles.

"Did you know that I had a girlfriend back home?" he asked. I must have looked startled, because he quickly added "we broke up about six months ago." My heart returned to a normal pace.

"Maria and I had been dating since high school, but it's been a long time since I felt the way I used to about her. I almost broke up with her in my junior year of college, but when I was home over spring break, we got in a pretty bad car accident, which is how I got these scars. Maria was hurt pretty bad too, she's had years of physiotherapy, and I just never felt like it was the right time to break up. But neither of us were happy. She didn't want to leave Texas, and I didn't want to go back. Every time we talked on the phone we fought, so I finally ended it in August."

I nodded, just listening. He kissed my hand again, his lips brushing along each of my knuckles.

"Maria is really close to my family. I mean, she's spent a lot more time with them in the past six years than I have, since I've been away from home and all. So I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised when I called home and my sister told me they had invited Maria for Christmas. And really, it wouldn't have been a big deal except that I know it's all a ploy to get the two of us back together, and that's just not what I want. When I told Emmett I was staying in Manchester, he told me not to be ridiculous and that I was coming home with him. I didn't want to impose, but when he mentioned that you were coming home with Alice..." he grinned, showing me those irresistible dimples again, "it was an offer I couldn't turn down."

"I'm glad you came," I said.

"Me too, darlin'," he said, smirking suggestively. I giggled at the double entendre. "Me too."

And then he silenced my giggles with a kiss, and those were the last words we spoke for awhile.

END


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